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Chipotle-Corn Salsa with Poblanos and Morels

One of the tenets of New Southwestern cooking is the innovative combination of farm-fresh ingredients. This recipe, made with mostly New World foods, is a good example. Serve with roasted meats and poultry, such as mesquite-grilled quail.

5 ears of corn in husks
5 tablespoons diced morels (or other wild mushrooms, rehydrated if dried)
1/4 cup olive oil
2 poblano chiles, roasted, peeled, stems and seeds removed, diced
1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, minced
1 small onion, chopped and sauteed
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
1 tablespoon minced chipotles in adobo
2 teaspoons fresh marjoram, minced
1 teaspoon freshly squuezed lime juice
Salt to taste

Place the corn on a baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, turning often, until the corn is blackened on all sides. Allow to cool.

Cook the morels in 2 teaspoons of the olive oil until well browned, about 10 minutes.

Shuck the corn and brush with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Grill or broil the corn until the kernels brown, about 10 minutes. Cut the kernels from the cob and reserve.

Combine the corn and the morels with the remaining ingredients (and the remaining olive oil) and mix well. Serve warm on a bed of greens.

Yield: 4 servings
Heat Scale: Mild

Guacamole con Chipotle

Everyone’s tried the usual guacamole dip, but not everyone has experienced it smoky-style, as in this recipe. Traditionally, it is served with tortilla chips, but other chips work equally well, including our favorite, plantain chips. Serve within 3 hours of making.

2 ripe Hass Avocados, peeled and pitted
1 small white onion, minced
1 medium tomato, minced
1 tablespoonfreshly squeezed lime or lemon juice
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, minced
Salt to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Cover and serve chilled.

Yield: 4 servings
Heat Scale: Medium

Thanks to Harald Zoschke for his photographic contributions to this series.

Other articles in the Chipotle Flavors series:

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